Meeting with Mahatma Gandhi

At that time in India the political situation was quite unstable. Mahatma Gandhi and his helpers did what they could for the independence of the country. However, the British tried to suppress all efforts for freedom and kept the Indian people down by force and inflicted severe punishment. The Indians were afraid of the British rulers, who had a great army equipped with modern weapons, while they were armed only with their courage and bravery. Many of them believed that to rebel against the powerful British Empire would be futile. Mahaprabhuji encouraged them to strive for freedom through patience and perseverance and not with force.

Mahaprabhuji foretold that an end would soon come to British rule and due to his inspiration, hundreds of Indians regained courage through belief in his protection.

Once when Mahaprabhuji and some disciples were in Mount Abu they decided to go to Sabarmati, the ashram of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi came to the door of the ashram to welcome Mahaprabhuji and indeed it was a great moment when these two outstanding personalities met.

Mahatma Gandhi requested Mahaprabhuji sing one of his bhajans.

"Master, please grant us the opportunity to hear your famous songs, which we are told deeply move the hearts of all and fill them with Divine Light. Your existence in this world truly leads everyone to the path of liberation!"

"And it is your existence which serves to liberate the Indian people," Mahaprabhuji said in reply. "No-one can stop you in this. Your service to India will make history and the story of your life will always be an inspiration to others."

Mahaprabhuji then sang a bhajan and finally spoke to those present.

"My dear people! India is the country of ahimsa[1], none will ever suffer due to us. The Vedas expound ahimsa as the highest principle in human dharma. Do not give up this principle! Truth cannot be destroyed or changed, it is pure. Truth will always reign victorious[2]. Live simply with an honest heart and high thoughts. Honour your trade and respect the traditions. Mahatma Gandhi is a brilliant example for you in this!

"In a former life he was King Ajayapal, who himself tended the goats of the kingdom and he reigned successfully with wisdom and simplicity. Not only did the people worship him, but the animals as well. During his rule the mighty demon Ravana ruled in Sri Lanka and he demanded tributes from all Indian kings. But even the mighty Ravana was afraid of King Ajayapal.

"One day Ravana said to his queen, Mandodari: 'Today I shall put the powers of Ajayapal to a test'. The queen at that moment was feeding her doves and on a sudden impulse she spoke to them, 'Doves! If you are loyal to King Ajayapal, don't eat these grains'. The doves hid their heads under their wings and kept away from the feed.

"However, one dove didn't hear the queen's words and ate the grain. Immediately it died. The queen turned to Ravana and said, 'This is an ill omen. You now know the might of King Ajayapal'.

"But Ravana didn't care for such signs and instead sent his emissaries to the king demanding tribute. On reaching the court, the emissaries learned that the king was away tending the goats, so they waited for him to return. In the evening, the king heard of the arrival of the emissaries and put on his best robes and welcomed the visitors in the throne room of his palace. The emissaries delivered the message from Ravana.

"King Ajayapal then ordered the emissaries to go into the courtyard and make a drawing in the sand of Ravana's palace. When they had finished, King Ajayapal took a stick and smudged a part of the drawing. He then turned to the visitors with a smile and said, 'Return to Ravana's palace and if you find levelled to the ground this part of the royal walls that I have here erased with my stick, then tell your king that I would well advise him to demand no tribute ever more'!

"He continued, 'In just this way I could destroy all Sri Lanka without stepping out of my palace. Now go to your king and report this to him'.

"The emissaries returned to Ravana and found exactly that part of the palace which King Ajayapal had smudged in the sand indeed had fallen to the ground. This incident so thoroughly frightened Ravana that never again did he quarrel with King Ajayapal.

"Mahatma Gandhi is the reincarnation of this great king. In this life also he carries the shepherd's crook in his hand. Wherever he goes, people are subject to his crook. The power of his devotion to India will ensure victory over the British."

The listeners were deeply moved by Gurudeva's words, for they knew that he always spoke the truth. After this meaningful meeting with Gandhi, Mahaprabhuji returned to Mount Abu.

On the day of Gurupurnima, thousands of devotees came to Mahaprabhuji's satsang.

"Lord, you promised us swarajaya — self-determination," one of them said. "Please tell us how long India will remain free and how things will be for our country in the future. When will a new satya yuga begin, when Saints and wise men will again rule over the land? And when will you, God's incarnation, return to build the kingdom of sat sanatan dharma?"

"These questions touch the core of the universe, so listen well," Mahaprabhuji answered with a smile.

"The independence of India will last for a very long time and thereafter many forms of government will follow. Finally, at the beginning of satya yuga, the age of truth, the great rishis and wise men will incarnate from the highest level and build the kingdom of wisdom on earth."

In a bhajan, Mahaprabhuji continued:

HO RAJ MAHARISHAYA KO HO VELA RE

May it be soon that wise men rule the states!The Mahatma has appeared to extinguish the castes,He will clean India's system,Difference in race and status will be abolished,Now the era of arrogance ends.

Satguru Sri Devpuriji proclaimed this truthAnd Swami Deep is his ambassador,Under the gracious protection of the GuruHe realizes the unfathomable Lila, the Divine Play.

After this bhajan, Mahaprabhuji prophesied that at the end of the rule of Saints, he himself would again incarnate on earth, in conformity with the words of TheBhagavadGita that says: God always comes to earth to re-establish the empire of Truth, when true faith is in danger.

"When I descend to earth from the Divine level of satya loka, satya yuga will again blossom with me. I will build the kingdom of true dharma, without battle or war and people will follow me in love. The whole cosmos is in Me — I am the Universe."

[1]ahimsa = non-violence. Not to harm or kill is the highest principle of human life.

[2]"Truth will always reign victorious" — SATYA MEVA JAYATE — is the motto of the Indian union.